Instant Pot Beef and Cheddar Ranch Potatoes--an easy to make, hearty dinner of cubed potatoes, ground beef, cheddar and crumbled bacon. Lots of delicious flavors in one pot.
Get the SLOW COOKER recipe here
Instant Pot Beef and Cheddar Ranch Potatoes
All I know about this dinner is that three hungry boys ate it in about 3 seconds. I was originally going to make this as a side dish without the beef but at the last minute decided to make it a one pot meal instead. It was a great choice since the beef really added a boost of flavor and heartiness.
Ingredient Notes:
- I used 6 russet potatoes that were small to medium-ish…it was 2 pounds.
- I used lean ground beef and it didn’t have much or really any grease on it. If you use a less lean ground beef you may need to drain off the grease.
- Because I had packaged bacon crumbles on hand I just used those. You can also fry up your own bacon and use that.
- I like the flavor that comes from medium or sharp cheddar as opposed to mild.
- I use Hidden Valley dry ranch dressing mix. I buy it in a big container from Costco. I like to use it for ranch potatoes, cilantro lime ranch dressing, ranch mashed potatoes, chicken bacon ranch pasta, and cheesy ranch orzo.
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What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
To make Instant Pot Beef and Cheddar Ranch Potatoes I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I love this Instant Pot because it has the yogurt making function which I use almost weekly. It has two pressure settings (high and low), and there are also little slots in the handles so that you can rest the lid there instead of putting it down on your counter-top.
Instant Pot Beef and Cheddar Ranch Potatoes
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
An easy to make, hearty dinner of cubed potatoes, ground beef, cheddar and crumbled bacon. Lots of delicious flavors in one pot.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 Tbsp dry ranch dressing mix
- 1 cup chicken or beef broth
- 2 pounds (about 6 medium) russet potatoes
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup grated medium or sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the ground beef. Break it up, add in 1 Tbsp of the ranch dressing mix and brown for about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the saute setting. Pour in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot so that nothing is sticking.
- Cut your potatoes into cubes. (I left the peels on). Add them into the pot. Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbsp of ranch dressing mix over the potatoes. Sprinkle the chili powder over the potatoes.
- Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure the valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes (high pressure).
- When the time is up perform a quick release by moving the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Toss in the bacon and the cheese and stir.
- Scoop onto serving dishes and enjoy.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. You can also make this in the 3 quart or 8 quart pot. Keep the ingredients and time the same.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
This came out wonderful. I added chopped onions to the ground beef and a can of drained green beans on top of the potatoes. Since I used red potatoes, I only cooked for 4 minutes and it was perfect. Everyone loved it.
★★★★★
Love those ideas!
Karen, I absolutely love your recipes! After reading through the comments I went ahead and added garlic and an onion in but everything else was true to recipe. I’m not proud to say but partner and I finished this off in one setting. Once we tasted it we just couldn’t stop! Thanks for another amazing recipe
★★★★★
Haha! so glad you both loved it! Thanks for the 5 stars Jason!
Loved it! I did make some changes, something I’m known to do…lol. When you have a good basis for a recipe, that shows what a good recipe it is. You got it!!! I added some diced tomatoes, garlic powder (you can never have too much garlic), Italian seasoning. I forgot the mushrooms 🤦♀️.That would have been awesome. Definitely 5 stars 🌟!
★★★★★
I agree on the garlic comment Gail!!!
Can I make this in a crock pot instead?
yes: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/slow-cooker-beef-and-cheddar-ranch-potatoes/
OMG…This is our new “go to” recipe. We used red potatoes in lieu of russets. I totally don’t understand what these so-called “leftovers” are. I am so confused;) Kudos Karen
★★★★★
Haha! I love it Elaine!
Could I do this as a freezer meal? Just hold off on the adding of the broth until I’m ready to cook it?
Raw potatoes contain a lot of water. This water freezes and, when thawed, makes the potatoes mushy and grainy. So I wouldn’t freeze it.
Another hit! I was low on ranch seasoning, so I added many liberal shakes of onion and garlic powders, also salt, pepper, and dill. Also added carrots. We put jalapenos on top of our bowls along with the cheese and bacon. It was really, really good and a total time saver. Love these kind of recipes! Thanks as always for posting so many favorites =)
★★★★★
Thanks Juliee! I appreciate the 5 stars.
IIf I want to double this receipe do I double all the ingreidients? I will be making it in a 6qt IP. Do I need to change my cooking time?
Double all the ingredients and keep same cooking time. Will work great in the 6 quart!
Since the timing would depend on the size of the potato chunks, what size cubes did you dice the potatoes to?
This sounds like a great kid’s recipe. I have 2 grandsons in mind.
Thank you,
Rita
I’d say about 1/2 inch cubes
Thank you!
REPORT: I made this tonight. I hope these details will encourage others to try this delicious recipe. I have an Instant Pot Duo EVO. (NOT ever InstaPot!…Sorry. Pet peeve.) I used russet potatoes that were diced to 1/2-inch cubes (measured). The recipe makes about 6 cups for 6 servings.
At a cooking time of the suggested 5 minutes, my 1/2-inch diced russet potatoes were a little too soft and did not quite hold their shape. I was hoping for more defined cubes, especially after folding in the bacon and cheese after cooking.
My finished dish was about 2/3 semi-mashed potatoes and 1/3 chunky potato cubes that barely held their shape. Overall, a chunky mashed potato and ground beef mixture.
I would have preferred a presentation with more defined potato cubes……but that’s just me.
HOWEVER…..The FLAVOR was a knock-out! Good on ya, Karen!
I will definitely make this again, cutting the timing to 4 minutes instead of 5 minutes for 1/2-inch diced russets. Most likely I will dice the potatoes to 1-inch chunks and use the 5-minute timing.
Karen…No criticism here at all, just some hopefully helpful hints from one person’s experience and preferences. For quickie meals, this recipe is high on my list. I’ll be happily making this again. Thanks for the inspiration!
Rita
Ooops! I forgot to rate this recipe. I’m looking forward to the leftovers tonight.
★★★★★
Thanks for the 5 stars!
Thanks Rita! good tip!
This was so good! I did change a few things because I had no ranch dressing powder or even a condensed soup can, but it still turned out awesome! First bite and my husband complimented how good it was! It actually kinda tasted like shepherd’s pie but that may be because of my substitutions.
First, my mini potatoes that were the reason for this recipe went bad, but I thankfully had a huge sweet potato (white) which I prefer in stews etc over plain potatoes anyways cuz it’s sweet. Added 2 honey garlic sausages broken up with the ground beef. I also used a heaping tablespoon of a “sweet heat” rib rub I make myself (has all the main things -garlic,chili,cumin,paprika,brown sugar etc), also added a heaping teaspoon of beef bouillion paste into the chicken broth.
When i opened the instapot i was actually worried because it just looked like plain beef and potatoes but it was amazing after adding the cheese and a dollop of sour cream. So easy, will be making again and adding onion, just didn’t have any.
★★★★★
Your version sounds great Tascha! Thanks for the 5 stars!
We’re in the process of moving into our new house and only have a limited amount of ingredients, only had chipotle chili seasoning so I used that. Turned it amazing!!!
★★★★★
That does sound good!!
Followed recipe as is 3 times – Awesome! Then started to play 😁.
Added a can of drained sweet corn, “The Trinity”, Tblsp of Worchestershire, and subbed Cajun seasoning for the Ranch mix….wow! 😋😋
Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh, yeah….”The Trinity” is chopped/diced onion, celery and green pepper, in case anyone didn’t know. (Like me, until not so long ago. 😊)
that sounds amazing. I may have to make a new recipe out of your version! did you saute the trinity?
Yes! Browned the ground beef, scooped it out, sauteed the veggies in the drippings b4 draining and replacing the beef, added the corn and stirred it all together. Placed the potatoes on top and sprinkled the rest of the seasonings and cooked as reccomended.
(…added the corn and the broth…)
Thanks! I’ll try your way next time 😊
What’s Trinity?
I made this tonight. I peeled my potatoes and cut them a bit bigger maybe because I was worried about them getting mushy. My husband doesn’t like the peels too much and he doesn’t like mushy potatoes unless they are mashed. This was a total hit with both of us! We loved it! So it will be added into my book of recipes we love. Thanks!
★★★★★
Awesome! Glad it worked out well for you!
I made this once and it was delicious. I used Yukon gold potatoes but I cannot remember if I used the same cook time. I THINK that I subtracted 1 minute. Yukon potatoes cook faster correct? Oh, I also added diced onion… Delish!
★★★★★
Yes they cook faster than Russets! Glad you liked it Shannon!
Very good! And suuuoer easy which is what I wanted tonight. It was gone in a flash.
★★★★
Love it!
I just used my instant pot for the very first time and this was the recipe I used. It was so good! I had 2 bowls and I’m trying really hard not to have another one.
★★★★★
Good for you! Keep up the cooking!
Like everyone else, I LOVE this recipe. However, can I substitute cut up chicken breasts instead of ground beef? Thanks.
Sure I bet you could do that. Will you be adding them in whole or cutting them up?
Made this tonight and my daughter who is normally watching what she eats had seconds. My husband couldn’t get enough. I have to add this to my make at least once a week list and I was told that I should double the recipe next time.
I read the comments after and think I will add onions or green onions as well. I served this with a dollop of sour cream.
★★★★★
That is high praise! Thank you Suzanne.
How many strips of bacon = 1/2 cup crumbled bacon?
I’d say about 4-6.
I like beef/ground beef but find it’s hard on my digestion so I use ground chicken or ground turkey whenever possible. It would be great if you could add a note for substituting ground chicken or turkey
Yes you could definitely use either of those with no other changes.
My family love this. What a great, quick and simple dish. I buy ground beef in bulk, pre cook and throw in the freezer in 1lb packs. Time it takes to cut the potatoes the beef is thawed and ready to throw in. Thanks for sharing! Fantastic!!
★★★★★
Love this Victoria!
This idea is not original from me but I use it all the time to “drain” fat/grease while cooking: Push the meat to the side of the IP or pan, drop in a “natural” paper towel and push the towel around to sop up the grease. Lift the towel out with tongs. Sometimes it might take two or three towels depending on the fat content of the meat. You can use the towel and push it all around the pot, into the ground meat and get almost all the fat out. I keep a few “used” sandwich baggies in the freezer, grab one, put the greasy towels in, zip it up and it’s ready for the trash.
I absolutely love this tip. Thank you for sharing. I hate draining the grease so this is perfect.
I am now making this once a week. I am new to the ip but this is by far my favorite so far
★★★★★
So glad to hear this Jimmy! Thanks!
I made the 2x version of this except I only used 1cup of better than bouillon beef flavor, solved the too much liquid problem. Personally, next time I will also halve the ranch mix and drop 1/4 of the chili powder. Tastes great as is, these are just my personal choices. Cooked for 6 min. to make the potatoes just a bit softer. Made in a 6qt. lux model.
Sounds like it turned out perfect! Thanks for sharing your tips 😊
This was absolutely delicious. I did not make it with bacon, and I subbed in French Onion soup for the broth as suggested by one of the other commenters. Super great! Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Sounds like a winning dinner! 👏
If you have an 8 quart, it recommends 2 cups of liquid. Would I need to change the liquid for this recipe? And what else needs to change if I do?
I would just do 1.5 cups of liquid and keep everything else the same.
Delish! I made my own ranch dressing mix (you can’t buy it here in Australia), and kept to your measurements with it. This meal hit the spot on a cool autumn evening after social distancing myself at work all day, which is exhausting! Didn’t need to think too much, just throw all the ingredients in, push start and pour a wine. Thank you and stay safe!
★★★★★
Thank you Katie, stay healthy!
May I have your recipe for the ranch dressing mix, please?
About what size did you cut your potatoes?
1 inch cubes
Great recipe thank you! I’m very new to using my instapot, I see you said don’t double the broth if I double the recipe. Would the one cup be enough? It was really good:)
★★★★★
Yes that would be enough!
Hmm, that looks delicious. Since we’re trying to cut down on our starch and our red meat, I bet I I could do the same thing with ground turkey and sweet potatoes. I’ll let you know how it comes out 🙂
Oh yum! That sounds tasty. Sweet potatoes cook quickly so watch that!
If I double the ground beef can I leave the rest of the ingredients as is or do I need to double everything?
You can just double the meat, that should work fine.
Very good!! May add some chopped onion next time.
★★★★★
good plan!
This is the BEST recipe ever! I live solo so like things I can have leftovers for. I used water and Better than Bullion and I added a diced onion to the beef, cause I love that flavor. The only time I had mushy potatoes was when I warmed things up. I let it saute after the quick release to boil out some of the excess liquid. This is a keeper!.
★★★★★
Oh I didn’t have bacon and so made it without. It was perfect without, With it would be even more awesome! (probably!)
Glad you liked it Mary Jo!
This was delicious! I couldn’t find any beef broth so I threw in a can of condensed French onion soup instead. Soooooooo good!
★★★★★
Total yes to that idea!
Do you drain the grease from the browned ground beef before adding the other ingredients and cooking?
If there is excess grease then yes. The ground beef I used was very lean and didn’t have much grease if any.
THIS is soo good! I’m an Instant Pot newbie, and this is only the 2nd thing I’ve cooked. My husband and I both loved it. At his suggestion we added onions, but otherwise I followed the recipe. Going into our family recipe book!
Yay Laura! Keep cooking!
Made this one for dinner tonight, came out great, everyone even had seconds. Had 2 lunch servings left over. I used Red potatoes.
★★★★★
Nice! I love reading comments like this 🙂
If I double the recipe, do I also double the broth? Thanks!
I would actually just keep the broth the same for this particular recipe.
I tried this today and it was very yummy! My appetite hasn’t been good lately and this new dish tasted very good to me. My husband went back for seconds. It’s a keeper! Thanks.
★★★★★
Oh good. That makes me happy to hear!
Made this tonight and it is delicious. The only change I made was I used small red potatoes because I had some and needed to use them. Hubby took one bite and said this is really good. I Served with English Peas and rolls. Another winner!
★★★★★
Awesome Brenda! Glad you guys liked it 🙂
It was good. Even my daughter’s who “hate” potatoes liked it. I have an 8 quart pot which is supposed to use 1 1/2 cups of broth. 5 minutes seemed to be perfect.
Well that’s awesome!
I think the two previous reviewers may have cubed their potatoes vs. cutting them into chunks which resulted in them being overcooked. It was good, but had too much liquid. Do you think it would still come to pressure if only 1 cup of broth was used instead of 14 oz.?
Yes, try 1 cup next time.
Not sure what went wrong. Followed the directions exactly. There was way too much liquid and the potatoes were soggy, inedible really. Would have to modify the recipe if I made it again.
★★
Dang. Sorry. It was so good at my house.
The 5 min. pressure cooking setting turned the potatoes mushy. Flavor was good though. May try less time.
★★★
Do you cook all together ?
You brown the ground beef but then add in everything together.
Very easy and good. Whole family enjoyed it last week, and I am making it again tonight. I like that the ingredients are things we usually have on hand.
★★★★★
yes, me too!
Wooo!:)